Wren's Vision

Sir Christopher Wren

The Fire destroyed 87 City churches. St Bride's was among the 51 to be rebuilt despite Wren's claim that only 39 were necessary in such a small area. The £500 required as a deposit by Guildhall to get things under way was raised in a month, a remarkable effort as most of the parishoners had lost homes and businesses in the Fire. However, this was not an end to the financial problems and money remained tight. A combination of Coal Dues, donations and loans eventually met the buildings cost of £11,430 5s. 11d.

Joshua Marshall was the main contractor for the works. Parishoner and Master Mason to the king, like his father before him, Marshall was a wise choice. He also worked with Wren on Temple Bar and the Monument. One assistant was the young Nicholas Hawksmoor, who was to become a renowned architect himself.

As today, the main material for the church was Portland stone. By September 1672, within a year of starting, the walls had reached the upper part of the cornice. The speed of progress was partly ascribed to the fact that the workmen had a hostel by the church, The Old Bell Tavern, built for them by Wren. By 1674 the main structural work was complete and a year later the church was finally reopened for worship on Sunday 19th December.

Though the church was open it was not completed. Most notably the tower remained unfinished. In 1682 the Churchwardens again approached Wren - this time about building the steeple. Work did not begin on this until 1701 and took two years to complete. At 226 feet high, Wren designed his highest steeple which was to withstand both lightning and war. Much has been written about the steeple, from claims that it inspires wedding cakes to the oft quoted words of W.E. Henley:

The while the fanciful, formal finicking charm
Of Bride's, that madrigal of stone,
Grows flushed and warm
And beauteous with a beauty not its own.